From Nikon 1 to Nikon 2: Mirrorless cameras in the Nikon ecosystem.

From Nikon 1 to Nikon 2: Considerations for mirrorless cameras in the Nikon ecosystem.

What do we like about Nikon?

(1) The F-mountNikon’s big plus is the fact that essentially all vintage Nikkor lenses can still be used on modern digital cameras, whether they are full frame (FX), APS-C, or CX (Nikon 1, using the F to 1 adapter FT-1). In this respect, Nikon has an advantage not shared by other manufacturers of digital cameras. Indeed lenses remain excellent, if properly handled, and useful much longer than cameras.

(2) Lens and camera pioneerNikon has also been an important pioneer in lenses and cameras: They introduced a number of now common features, like ED-glass, close-range correction in lenses (CRC), consumer lenses with aspherical surfaces, nanocrystal coatings. They have been pioneers with the digital single lens reflex camera D1 and shortly afterwards a consumer camera the D100.

What are we missing the most today? I list a few that are found in high-quality cameras by other manufacturers:1) Sensor based phase detect autofocus. (exception Nikon 1)2) Mirrorless interchangeable lens system (exception Nikon 1)3) Sensor stabilization4) Fully operational focal length reducing adapter (e.g. Metabone Speed booster’).5) No crop video in HD and UHD format.6) Firmware that can be enhanced by apps (e.g. Magic Lantern)7) Easy apps for sending photos, like in smartphones. (Fully operational)8) Nikon, listen to the users!

By fully operational ‘speed booster’ like adapter, we mean that this adapter allows AF and aperture control by the camera like in present m43 and mirrorless Sony, when Canon EF lenses are used. However, Nikon’s AF-S lenses remain unsupported until now.

All these missing features can be integrated in a new Nikon mirrorless system, or added to the Nikon 1 system. Indeed, the use of full frame or APS-C lenses on Nikon 1 using a Nikon ‘speed booster’ would enhance the Nikon 1 system very much, and the main complaint of poor low light performance could be mitigated in this way.

If Nikon wishes to remain true to its longterm goal of keeping their vintage and more recent lenses useful on future cameras, a (Nikon-2) mirrorless system could best be based on a CX compatible DX-M mount (crop factor around 1.8), somewhat smaller than DX, such that sensor stabilization would work via an FT-2 adapter for all presently available DX and FX lenses, because the reduced DX-M format would have a smaller image circle than DX. Likewise, using a Nikon “speed booster” type adapter would permit FX lenses to be mounted on the DX-M cameras with a 1 stop improvement in lens speed.

Many cameras today include built-in image stabilization systems, but when it comes to video that's still no substitute for a proper camera stabilization rig. The Ronin-S aims to solve that problem for DSLR and mirrorless camera users, and we think DJI has delivered on that promise.

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